Little Bear greens recalled over salmonella fears
December 28, 2010
Carys Mills and Lesley Ciarula Taylor
STAFF REPORTERS
Little Bear brand has recalled 14 different fresh greens as a precaution after salmonella was found in curly parsley in Quebec and cilantro in Detroit, company president James Bassetti says.
“We are almost positive there is no contamination but we wanted to err on the side of caution,” he told the Star on Tuesday.
“Canada is a very important market for us.”
J&D Produce Inc., of Texas, ordered the recall in Canada and the U.S. after regulators detected salmonella in the herbs. Salmonella can cause fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Arugula, beets, diakon, cilantro, kale, kohlrabi, parsley, mustard, dill and Swiss chard are among the J&D greens being recalled. A full list is available on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) website.
The vegetables had been packed from the same production line as the herbs, said Bassetti.
J&D production lines in Quebec were closed down and cleaned after the salmonella was found. Inspections and rinsing were increased when production restarted.
“We’re all seeing increased inspections by regulators and health officials in the U.S. and Canada,” Bassetti said.
The greens, tied in bunches without dates, were on sale between Nov. 30 and Dec. 7 at grocery stores across Canada.
There have been no reports of illnesses, according to the CFIA.
Food contaminated with salmonella might not look or smell spoiled, warns the CFIA. It can cause serious or deadly infections in young people, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
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